Acting state Supreme Court Justice Susan Capeci convicted Bradley of attempted assault, harassment and criminal contempt following a non-jury trial last year. His estranged wife, Fumiko, claimed he had thrown hot tea on her in January 2010, slammed a door against her fingers the following month and then tried to keep her from testifying after his initial arrest.

Fumiko Bradley testifed at the trial that she had never claimed the door slamming was an accident. Bradley wanted to call witnesses who would have testified that she told them it may have been an accident, but Capeci would not allow the testimony, ruling it was hearsay “too remote or speculative” to be relevant.

In the 3-1 ruling today, a panel of the Appellate Division, Second Department, ruled that Capeci’s decision denied Bradley a fair trial.